The Quirks: Quirkalicious Birthday by Erin Soderberg...

How I Heard About It:  This past school year, my school librarian brought me a book called The Quirks:  Welcome to Normal by Erin Soderberg.  I read it and loved it.  I even picked it for my "Breakfast with Books" book club.  The second book in the series The Quirks in Circus Quirkus  was just as great as the first book.  I was thrilled when Erin mailed me an ARC of the third book in this series.  I met Erin this past school year when she joined my book club and she is one of a kind.  I started the book yesterday and of course finished it last night.

What It Is About:   This third edition of the adventures of the Quirks picks up right where the second book ended.  This time it is the week of Molly and Pen's 10th birthday.  Birthdays are a big deal in the Quirk family and turning double digits for the twins is an even bigger deal.  Their grandpa always makes the week very special by planning a birthday treasure hunt.  This year is no different, but the girls find that figuring out his clues are a bit harder and once they find the gifts, they aren't quite so sure what they are going to do with these gifts.  During the week, the girls also need to plan their first ever birthday party which leads to some minor and major disagreements between the two girls.  Having always been close, it is hard on the twins, and the family, to learn that they might not be able to do everything together.  The whole cast of "Quirk" characters are back and as quirky as ever.  All action leads to the birthday party and finding out if the girls will solve the mystery of the birthday "hunt."  

What I Thought Of It:  This has become one of my favorite series for kids.  They are pitch-perfect for young readers.  Erin has hit the nail on the head with this series.  Each book just gets better than the one before it.  I hope this series never comes to an end because I know there are so many stories that can be told about the Quirks.  I liked that this story had some challenges in it for the girls to work through as they are growing up and each changing in their own way.  This series will definitely be used in room 113 during the 2014-2015 school year and I'm hoping for another visit from Erin.  

Who Should Read It:  In my opinion, this book (and the series) is perfect for third and fourth grade readers.  That doesn't mean they can't be read by readers in fifth and sixth grade.  My students absolutely loved book #1 and #2 and were disappointed that the third book wasn't coming out until this coming school year.  They would make for an excellent read aloud.  On the other hand, they are perfect for putting into the individual hands of our young readers.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  5 STARS out of 5 Stars